Help with fish loss!!

[JOKER]

Ok so my tank is 4 months old. I'm having normal algae issues but getting better. CUC is lacking at the moment, but will add more soon. I have had trouble adding fish twice now. Added 3 chromis, and one survived. They had been through 30 day QT, were eating well, and very active. After adding to the tank they seemed to have trouble breathing which always seems to happen when adding fish to a new tank so I thought nothing of it. Well two lasted a day, and the other 3 weeks.. Yesterday I woke up and noticed the other chromis having trouble breathing, and my clowns that have been in the tank over 3 months also having trouble breathing. First I panicked and started to get water ready for a water change. After starting water I moved the power head up to surface to get good oxygen exchange. While moving power head I noticed the skimmer was off, the container was full so it had shut off. I then emptied the container and got skimmer running. Within 30 minutes fish seem fine except the chromis. All shrimp and other CUC were not affected. Could this be from lack of oxygen in the water?? What can I do to help this?? Thanks

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Whoa thats weird! Whats the Ph at? No bacterial blooms?

 

[JOKER]

Ph is around 7.8-8.1 most of the time. I am thinking the dino or whatever algae I have coupled with the lack of skimmer may have been the cause. I have been reading a lot today. LOL

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Ph is around 7.8-8.1 most of the time. I am thinking the dino or whatever algae I have coupled with the lack of skimmer may have been the cause. I have been reading a lot today. LOL

Yea could be possibly. Maybe.

I'd run carbon in a reactor if your not or a bag right on the pump. But I dunno.

 

[Maritimer]

Skimmers add a _lot_ of oxygen, but why might it have been so low in the first place?

The fact that you noticed your fish were in trouble when you woke up makes me think that the algae you mentioned isn't helping - it removes oxygen from the water during the dark hours. (Not a ton - but sometimes enough.)

Keep that powerhead stirring the surface, and don't let the skimmer shut off ... Do you have a refugium? Is its lighting schedule opposite that of your tank? That might help - 'fuge algae producing oxygen while the display's sleeping . . .

~Bruce

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Skimmers add a _lot_ of oxygen, but why might it have been so low in the first place?

The fact that you noticed your fish were in trouble when you woke up makes me think that the algae you mentioned isn't helping - it removes oxygen from the water during the dark hours. (Not a ton - but sometimes enough.)

Keep that powerhead stirring the surface, and don't let the skimmer shut off ... Do you have a refugium? Is its lighting schedule opposite that of your tank? That might help - 'fuge algae producing oxygen while the display's sleeping . . .

~Bruce

Like twice.

The entire system including bacteria is the bio load as far as oxygen goes.

Something to look into.

 

[JOKER]

Makes sense. I am trying to run an ATS when light off, but it isn't producing anything. Filtration for the tank is RO 220 elite skimmer, about 50# shelf rock, and 40-50# pukani. I am also running 3 marine pure blocks in the sump with a deep sand bed section and 15-20# rock in sump.

 

[Maritimer]

That biofiltration sounds more than adequate . . . some folks love DSB, and some don't . . .

If you've got a lot of algae in the display (where the lighting is expensive and powerful) and none in your ATS, the stuff in the display may be out-competing the ATS for available nutrients.

~Bruce